Ask the Patriarch 159
The First Article of Faith

from: Travis

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Apologies for nitpicking, but Article of Faith #1 states "unknowable" in such a way that it really is an assumption of faith, more in line with Atheism than Agnosticism. Maybe you should qualify that a bit. You could wedge in a "probably" or tack on "by us" or something.

Or has this already been addressed somewhere?

The Patriarch replies:

Travis:

I am fairly sure it is addressed somewhere on the site, but I don't know where. So, I'll have another go.

If we are going to nitpick, it all depends upon (as a onetime president of the USA once said) on the definition of "is."

While I personally hold to "is" in this particular case as "is now, and will be always" I have no problem with those who choose to interpret "is" in this case simply as "is right now, but that might change in the future." In the latter case, "is unknowable" simply reflects current reality and faith is not required.

I will admit that it might be considered that there is an element in faith on the interpretation I give Article 1, but I don't insist that everybody else must follow that interpretation.